WE BUY A TARTAN 37 SAILBOAT – Ep. 6

WE FINALLY BUY A SAILBOAT. It feels like we’ve been searching for a boat forever! In this episode we finally buy a boat, a beautiful Tartan 37.

Before we find the Tartan, we look at two other options in the Milwaukee area: a Pearson 38 and a Southerly 35. The Pearson had been left on the hard for about five years, and the neglect shows. While the swing keel is a cool concept on the Southerly, this boat came with too much extra stuff (resulting in a higher price tag) that we didn’t need.

We just know this Tartan is our boat. But how? They say you get a feeling, and even though we thought we had felt it before, this time is different. It helps that the buying experience unfolds without any drama (unlike our previous efforts to buy: i.e. a seller deciding he didn’t want to sell, another seller unable to finish work prior to closing). Lastly, the sellers of the Tartan have clearly doted on their boat — its condition is immaculate.

The day of the survey starts with sunny skies and light winds. Just as the sellers are preparing the boat for the sea trial, a cold front moves in. The skies greys over and the winds start gusting. Both sails are raised, but only the 150% genoa is reefed slightly. During a tack, a jib sheet gets away, and the other jib sheet gets caught on a winch. Both Kirk and I are glad we can experience how the boat handles in stronger winds.

And then, it’s closing day! We turn over our boat nest-egg, sign the papers, and receive the keys to our new floating home. Hell yeah!